Striping device for a knitting machine



May 11, 1965 B. FRIED 3,182,471

STRIPING DEVICE FOR A KNITTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 18, 1960 3Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. BLWJZM/N FRIED BY /@4 3 am y 1965 B. FRIED3,182,471

STRIPING DEVICE FOR A KNITTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 18, 1960 5Sheets-Sheet 2 iNVENTOR. AE/VflM/N FP/ED May 11, 1965 B. FRIED STRIPINGDEVICE FOR A KNITTING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 18, 1960uvwszv-roa BEAUZM/N FR/ED BY M 330116! United States Patent 3,182,471STRHPING DEVECE FOR A KNITTING MACHENE Benjamin Fried, 2375 Arthur Ave,Bronx, NX. Filed Nov. 18, 1960, Ser. No. 749,318 Claims. (Cl. 66-35)This invention relates to knitting machines, and more particularly to astriping device for producing stripes of contrasting color or texture inknit cloth.

In its more specific aspects, this invention is concerned with multiplefeed knitting machines of the type having a rotatable needle cylinderformed with axially extending grooves in the circumference thereof, anda plurality of needles axially reciprocable in respective groovesbetween a position in which the hooked end portion of the needle axiallyprojects from the groove to take yarn from a yarn carrier, and aretracted position. Yarn is fed to the needles from yarn guides at aplurality of stations on the machine frame along the circumference ofthe cylinder, and the needles are guided by cams so as to be in theprojecting position for taking yarn from the guides when they reach thestations While the cylinder rotates. A course of stitches is knit ateach station and extends in a low pitch helix through the tubular basefabric produced.

Since circular knitting machines are usually arranged with theircylinder or dial axis upright, the term horizontal will be employedhereinafter to refer to elements extending coursewise of the fabric. Theterm vertical will be applied to elements extending transversely atsubstantially right angles to the courses of the cloth. The position ofneedles in which their hooked ends project axially from a cylindergroove will be referred to accordingly as the upper position, and theretracted position as the lower position It will be understood, though,that thi invention is not limited to any specific orientation of theapparatus or the product in space.

To produce a vertical stripe it has been previously proposed to wrap ayarn about a selected needle whenever it reaches its upper position totake yarn for knitting the basic fabric. It has been suggested to pass ablade-shaped yarn guide back and forth in a radial direction past theneedle. The blade also rotates with the needle cylinder and is obliquelyinclined relative to the cylinder radius in such a manner that itsaxially extending front edge is circumferentially offset from the rearedge. During radially outward movement of the blade of the known device,the blade passes between one side of the selected needle and an adjacentneedle. During the inward return stroke it passes between the other sideof the selected needle and the other adjacent needle. The needles arecommonly made of spring steel and are resilient. When engaged by theblade they are in their upper position and thus capable of yielding in acircumferential direction to permit passage of the blade.

The afore-described known device for producing vertical stripes on acircular knitting machine is inherently limited to relatively coarsecloth. Sixteen needles per inch constitute the approximate limit offineness to which the known device can be applied with consistentsuccess. In finer fabrics the circumferential spacing of the needles isso close that a yarn cannot be passed between adjoining needles by anobliquely inclined blade without interfering with proper operation ofthe knitting machine. Because of the close needle spacing and theunavoidable deviation of the needles from a perfectly straight shape,the blade cannot be relied upon to enter the same gap between adjoiningneedles during each cycle. Multiple defects are produced and make thedevice impractical for fine fabrics.

It is one of the primary objects of this invention to overcome thelimitations of the known method of making 3,182,471 Fatented May 11,1965 vertical stripes in knit cloth, and to provide a knitting machinewhich will produce vetrical stripes in fabric of any desired fineness,such as -cut or higher, without an inherent upper limit of fineness.

Another object is the provision of a knitting machine which will producea variety of vertical stripes in the same fabric, the stripes varyingnot only in width but also in texture.

A further object of this invention is to provide a knit ting machine inwhich a selected needle is deflected from the normal needle path andwherein a yarn carrier passes between the deflected needle and thenormal needle path to feed a yarn to the deflected needle.

In one embodiment of the present invention, as applied to a knittingmachine having a plurality of needles arranged in a cylindricalconfiguration, selected needles are deflected radially from thecylindrical configuration, at the yarn pickup position. At this point ayarn carrier passes between the deflected needle and the cylinderdefined by the needles to feed a yarn of a different color to thedeflected needle. This yarn forms the stripe in the fabric. Bydeflecting more than one adjacent needle, stripes of different widthscan be formed. Since the yarn carrier does not pass radially betweenadjacent needles the needles can be positioned very close to each otherto provide a fine knit.

Some knitting machines have a plurality of knitting needles arranged tolie in a plane and extend radially, the

- needles commonly being used in conjunction with a plurality of axiallyextending needles which define a cylinder. While the embodiment of theinvention disclosed herein is shown in connection with the cylindricallyarranged needles, the principles of the invention could a well beapplied to the needles radially arranged in a plane.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings in which like referencenumerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereof, andwherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of a circular knittingmachine equipped with a preferred embodiment of the striping device ofthe invention;

FIG. 2 shows a detail of the apparatus of FIG. 1 in perspective view onan enlarged scale;

FIG. 3 illustrates the apparatus of FIG. 1 in fragmentary radialsection;

FIG. 4 shows a detail of the apparatus of FIG. 1 in plan view;

FIG. 5 is another detail view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 in axialsection;

FIG. 6 shows the apparatus of FIG. 1 in radial section;

FIG. 7 shows a detail of the knitting machine of FIG. 1 in axialsection; and

FIG. 8 shows a modified embodiment of a knitting needle for the stripingdevice of the invention in side elevation.

Referring now to the drawing, and initially to FIG. 1, there is shown apreferred embodiment of the striping device of the invention as appliedto a circular knitting machine of the multiple-feed latch needle typecommonly employed for the rapid production of cloth for jersey apparel.The machine which is shown in an exploded perspective View has beenillustrated only to the extent required for an understanding of thisinvention.

The needle cylinder 1 of the knitting machine has been largely brokenaway so as to reveal other elements of the mechanism. It will beunderstood that his mounted in the usual stationary knitting machineframe and that it rotates continuously about a vertical axis in theframe during operation of the machine. The cylinder includes wall of theCylinder. Since the detail structure of the cylinder is well known initself, and not per se relevant tending radially outward from the shank4, 4' and pivoted thereon for movement in an axially extending plane.The latch 6 when closed to cooperate with the hooked por tion 5,'..forrns a closed eye to retain a yarn 7 therein.

Axial movement of the needles is actuated in a known manner by camscooperating with the butts 8 on the needle shanks 4. The cams alsoradially retain the needles in their respective slots 2.

For the sake of clarity, the slots 2 have been shown to berrelativelywidely spaced from each other, and other dimensional relationships havebeen intentionally distorted for the same reason. Actually, thirty ormore needles are arranged side by side in corresponding individual slotsalong each inch of cylinder circumference, and the cylinder diameter isof the order of two feet or more. The walls of the slots in the cylinderserve as a guiding means for the needles.

The cylinder needles which are made of spring steel or similar resilientmetal have straight shanks, and the axial movement of their shanksdefines a needle raceway having the shape of a hollow cylinder whichincludes the slots 2. The hook portions 5 of the majority ofthe needles3 are aligned with the shanks 4. Except for the butts 3, these needlesare straight. Only two straight needles 3 are shown in FIG. 1 in theupper and lower position respectively.

One needle 3 is seen to have a hook portion 5 which is arcu-ately bentout of alignment with the shank portion 4' in a radially inwarddirection. The needle 3' receives yarn 7 from a yarn carrier 9.The'carrier which is seen on an enlarged scale in the perspective viewof FIG-2 is a flat plate having three openings 10 for the passage ofyarn, only one of which is shown to be utilized in FIG.

1. The carrier is fastened to a bracket 11 which is axially adjustableon a support arm 12, and can be fixed in the adjusted position by a setscrew 13. The arm 12 radially extends from a wheel 14.

The mounting of the yarn carrier 9 on the wheel 14 is better seen fromFIG. 3 which illustrates a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1 in radialsection through the wheel 14. The support arm 12has a radially elongatedopening 15 through which a screw. 16' passes to secure the arm 12 to therim of the Wheel 14. FIG. 3 also shows the hook portions of a straightneedle 3 and of a bent needle 3' in the upper position in which the hookportion of the bent needle 3is deflected radially inward firom the I 7into the clear space between the end of the hook 5' and the back of thehook 5. The Width of this space is of the order of one quarter of aninch with conventional latch needles.

Reverting again to FIG. 1, the knitting machine of the invention is seento be equipped with four substantially identical wheels 14, 14a, 14b,and 140 which are independ-' ently rotatable on a shaft 16. The shaft isa part of the stationary machine frame. tion of the device, the wheelsare directly superimposed on each other and the lowermost wheel 14 isheld in proper axial position by a loose collar 17 secured to the shaft16 by a set screw 18. It will be understood that yarn carriers similarin structure and function to. the yarn car- In the assembled condirier 5may be afiixed to. the several wheelsso as to provide guidance for asmany striping yarns 7 as desired.

The arrangement'illustrated is well suited for a sixty-four feedknitting machine and striping yarns maybe fed to each station bysixty-four yarn carriers distributed over the four wheels 14, 14a, 14b,and Me as required to prevent interference. The number of wheels can beincreased further if desired to accommodate an even larger number ofyarn carriers for striping yarn. A large gear 19 is fixed on the shaft116 and remains stationary with the shaft 16. V i

A four armed cross member 2% is axially secured on the shaft 16. belowthe gear 1 by a collar similarto the collar 17 but not visible in FIG.1, and freely rotatable on the shaft. 'I he'cross member 20 carries fourplates 21 respectively mounted on the four arms of the cross member, anda pinion 22 mounted on each plate 21 meshes with the gear 19. V

The mounting of the pinions 22' on the cross member 20 is better seen inthe fragmentary plan view of FIG. 4 which shows a portion of one of thearms of the cross memberztl with the corresponding plate 21. The platehas two slots 23 through which :screws 24 pass to secure the plateto thecross arm. The slots 23 are circumfer entially elongated relative to thegear 19to permit precise circumferential positioning of the yarn carrier9 relative to the cylinder 1; The pinion 22 is rotatably supported by ashaft 25 which is fixed on the plate 21. The gear 19 and the pinion 22have a pitch ratio of .6421 so that the pinion revolves once while theneedle cylinder, which rotates jointly with the cross member 20, movesfrom one feed station to the next in the 64-feed machine selected forthe purpose of illustration.

As seen in FIG. 1, a pin 26. is eccentrically fastened in the pinion-22and one end of a link 27 is pivotaily supported on the pin 26. The otherend of the link 27 carries a rod 28 the free endofwhich engages a slot29 in one of the spokes 35) of the wheel 14; Details of this structureare better seen in FIG. .5 in axial section. One end of the rod 27 isfixedly secured to the link'27. The other end .31 is of reduced diameterand hasan axial bore which receives a screw'32. A washer mounted on thescrew 32; urges the spoke against a shoulder on the rod 28 and thusfixes the wheel. 14 to rod 28. The linkage described imparts to thewheel 14 a dual motion. It is composed of the movement of the crossmember 2% about the cylinder axis which is actuated. by means presentlyto become apparent, upon which is superimposed the reciprocatingmovement of thelink 27. relative to the cross member 20 caused byrotation of the pinion 22 about its axis. 7

Each of the arms of the cross member 2t) carry a plate 21, a pinion 22,a link 27 and a rod 28 connected to one of the wheels 14-, 14a, 14b, and14;, but much of the duplicated structure has, been omitted to avoidcrowding of the drawing. The stroke length of the reciprocating rotationof a wheel 14 can be varied substantially by changing the point'ofattachment of the rod 28 to the wheel. In the embodiment of theinvention shown in FIG. 1, four identical pinions. 22 have beenillustrated, but it will be obvious to those skilled in the .art thatdifferent striping patterns may be produced by employing pinionsof-different diameter, and that further modifications are available bychanging dimensional relationships withoutv departing from the spiritand scope. of this invention. It independent movement of the four wheels(or of any other plurality of wheels) is desired, the Wheels have to bearrangedin such a'manner that the rods 28 may freely pass through theopenings between the spokes 30 of lower wheels, as is readily apparentfrom FIG. 1. FIG. 6 shows the apparatus of FIG. .1 in radial section ona level below the large gear 19. The cross member 20 is seen on theshaft 16. The screws 24 which hold the plates 21 to each of thearms ofthe cross member are visible. The ends ofthe arms are cut out to formcylindrical grooves 34 with rounded edges which loosely engage fourcylindrical rods 35. The rods are mounted in axial alignment on chordalbars 36 fastened to the inside of the needle cylinder 1 which is shownwithout its needle slots. The knit cloth 37 passes between the walls ofthe grooves 34 and the rods 35 with so little friction as not tointerfere with the downward movement of the material under its ownweight. With normal engineering practice of proper lubrication of allfriction surfaces, the forces required for actuating the rotation of thecross member are very small. If extremely fine fabrics of 'very lightweight are to be handled, antifriction bearings may be employed asneeded to hold the contact pressure between the rods and the grooves 34sufficiently low to prevent any snagging of the cloth. The drivearrangement shown in FIG. 6 is preferred because of its great simplicityover known mechanisms for driving yarn carriers in unison with theneedle cylinder of a knitting machine which depend on more complexlinkages.

The rods 35 are connected to and driven with the needle cylinder at aspeed equal to the speed of the needle cylinder. The construction andoperation of these rods 35 is explained in detail in US. Patent3,018,645. The cross member 20 is loosely connected to the moving rods35 through the fabric, since the rods 35 are positioned in the recessesin the ends of the arms 20. Thus, the cross member 20 rotates with therods 35 and the needle cylinder.

Rotation of the cross member 20 causes the pinion 22 to roll around theperiphery of the stationary gear 19. The wheel 14, being linked to thecross member 26 through the pinion 22 and link 27, rotates with thecross member and the needle cylinder. The rotative movement of the wheel14 has superimposed upon it the oscillating motion effected by therotating pinion 22 and the link 27. This oscillating motion causes theyarn guide 9 to sweep back and forth past the bent needle with whichthis guide is associated, the guide 9 rotating with its associatedneedle to continually supply yarn to that same needle.

The method by which yarn is taken by the curved needles 3 is illustratedin FIG. 7 which shows an axial section through the periphery of theneedle cylinder of FIG. 1, and associated elements. A bent needle 3' isshown in fully drawn lines in its upper position in which its hook 5'and latch 6' entirely clear the groove 2 in the needle cylinder 1. Theshank 4' of the bent needle 3' is confined in its groove 2 by two earns38 and 39 which are mounted on the stationary machine frame in the usualmanner. While, for the sake of clarity, the cams have been shownradially spaced a substantial distance from the cylinder 1, theyactually hug it closely to retain the needles in their slots. Theirradially extending cam faces engage the butt 8 of the needle 3 toactuate axial movement of the needle 3' when the cylinder rotates in theframe. The back of the needle 3' elastically abuts against the upperedge of the groove 2 at least during the axial movement of the needle 3.The edge portion of the cylinder 1 thus acts as a guide for the radialmovement of the hook portion 5' during axial shank movement.

The bent needle 3' illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 7 may be replaced by anyother needle the hook portion of which can readily be guided in aradially extending path during the axial needle movement. An example ofanother needle suitable for the purpose is shown in FIG. 8 in sideelevation. The needle 3" has a hooked terminal portion 5" which ispivoted to the shank portion 4 by a pivot pin 42. Under normal operatingconditions the two hingedly connected portions of the needle 3" arerigid. Radial movement of the hook portion 5 of the needle 3" in aninward direction is actuated by the weight of the knitted cloth and thetension of the yarn 7 very much in the same manner as the hookedterminal 6 end portion 5' of the needle 3 is deflected by its ownresilience.

FIG. 7 also shows a stationary yarn guide 40 which is fixedly mounted onthe machine frame and has an eye 41 for passage of a thread from whichthe basic fabric is made as is well known. Abutment against the loweredge of the yarn guide 40 prevents closing of the latch 6 of the needle3 during upward needle movement. The dimensions of the needle 3' and ofits latch 6' are selected in such a manner, and the yarn guide 40 is sopositioned that the yarn guide also prevents closing of the latch 6. Ithas no other function relevant to the striping arrangement of thisinvention. The path of the hooked terminal portion 5' of the needle 3 isindicated in the showing of the portion 5' in broken lines.

The cams 38 and 39 are shaped in such a manner that the needles 3, 3'reach respective upper positions for yarn taking 64 times during eachrevolution of the needle cylinder 1, and there are sixty-four stationaryyarn guides 40 each associated with one of the upper needle positionsaround the circumference of the cylinder. As many as sixty-four stripingdevices each carrying at least a single yarn may be associatedrespectively with the sixtyfour feeds of the basic fabric. The number ofbent needles cannot be less than the number of vertical stripes that itis desired to produce, but more than one bent needle may be arranged forcooperation with a single yarn carrier 9 and the reciprocating stroke ofthe yarn carrier may be increased to extend a stripe over the severalbent needles.

The afore-described apparatus operates as follows:

During operation of the knitting machine the needle cylinder 1 isrotated about the axis of the shaft 16 by the main drive of the knittingmachine (not shown). The cylinder entrains the cross member 20 andthereby moves the pinions 22 about the circumference of the large gear19 causing them to rotate 64 times during each revolution of the needlecylinder 1. The eccentric pins 26 on the pinions 22 actuatereciprocating rotary movement of the connected wheels 14 about the shaft16 during each revolution of the pinion 22. The stroke of thisreciprocating movement can be adjusted by radially shifting the upperend of the rod 28 in the slot 29. The yarn carrier 9 moves in unisonwith the wheel 14, and thus moves circumferentially back and forthrelative to the needle cylinder 1 sixty-four times during eachrevolution of the needle cylinder.

It will be recalled that there are sixty-four stationary yarn guides 40mounted about the circumference of the needle cylinder 1, eachcorresponding to one feed. The cam assembly which elevates the needlesis shaped with sixty-four peaks angularly aligned with the stationaryyarn guides for knitting the base fabric. Because of the synchronizationof the yarn carrier 9 with the cylinder 1, the yarn carrier 9 will be inthe same position relative to a bent needle 3' whenever that needle iselevated to its upper position by the cams 38, 39.

While the hooked terminal portion 5 of the needle moves between theradially deflected upper position and the lower position in which thehook portion 5' is forced into alignment with the straight needles 3,and back to the radially deflected upper position, the yarn carrier 9swings in a circumferential arc back and forth past the radial plane ofthe needle 3'. The radial alignment of the needle 3' with the arc ofmovement of the yarn carrier 9 is such that the yarn 7 is guided intothe radial clearance between the needle 3 in its upper position and theline of the straight needles in such a manner that the yarn will becaught in the hook of the needle 3 during the down stroke of the latteras clearly seen in FIG. 7. During this downward movement of the bentneedle 3', the yarn carrier 9 is circumferentially spaced forward orbackward of the needle 3' so that the yarn 7 extends from one of theopenings 10 obliquely across J the path of the hook and downward intothe knitted cloth.

During each axially reciprocating movement of the shank i' of the bentneedle 3/,- the hooked end portion 5 reciprocates radially inward andoutward, and the yarn '7 simultaneously reciprocates circumferentiallyback and forth relative to the needle 3'. These combined movementsresult in the yarn 7 being wrapped about the shank of the needle 3during the normal knitting cycle and being tied into the base fabric. Avertical stripe extending along a single wale of-the cloth is thus produced. It appears on both sides of the cloth.

The apparatus illustrated has great versatility in the patternsproduced. By varying the' circumferential stroke of theyarn carrier 9, ayarn 7 may be wrapped about more than one needle. replaced by othershaving a pitch diameter which is one thirty-second of the pitch diameterof the gear 19, the yarn carrier 9'will complete only onecircumferential stroke between two feeds, and the thread will-extendobliquely across the path of the hooked end portion 5' from the yarncarrier 9 in a forward and downward direction at one feed station, andin a backward'and downward direction at thenext feed station. Instead ofbeing wrapped in a full circle about a Wale of the base fabric, thevertical stripe yarn '7 is tied into il'lQbZtSC fabric, in semicircularloops.

The number of vertical yarns 7 may be increased by mounting a pluralityof brackets ll with the associated yarn carriers 9 on the same wheel 14as far as space permits, and to supplement them by yarn carrierssimilarily arranged on the second, third, and fourth wheel. The yarnguides associated with the respective wheels may be made to reciprocatein cycles of diiferent timingand over strokes of ditferent lengths bysuitably select-- ting the respective pinions and points of engagementbetween the respective motion transmitting rods 28 and slots 29.

The striping device of the invention is not limited in its applicationto fabrics of relatively coarse structure produced 'on knitting machineshaving a limited number of feeds. The number of needles per inch in theneedle cylinder 1 has no bearing on its operativeness or the reliabilityof its functioning. 1 Multiple feed knitting maproduced by cutting andknotting yarns if thehorizontalstripes are to be separated by a numberof courses greater than the number of the available thirty-two feeds.This limitation as to number of feeds does not exist with the stripingdevice of the present invention. The striping device does not limit. thespacing of horizontal stripes which could otherwise be obtained. Theelimination of cutting and knotting removes an important source ofoperating difficulties. .Automatic' devices are available.

for performing the cutting and knotting operations, but they make theapparatus more complex, more costly to build and to operate. Relativelyfrequent machine stoppagesare virtually unavoidable, for example,because of the dulling of cutting knives. of even the best types of suchknives between sharpenings is limited.

A knitting machine provided with a vertical striping: arrangementaccording to this invention is thus capable of high production rates andis not subject to frequent maintenance operations when producing complexvertical and horizontal stripe patterns on knitted. goods.

When the pinionsZZ ar The useful life It will be obvious to thoseskilled in the art that this invention is not limited to any particulartype of knitting machine nor to latch needle machines. 7 Spring needlesor any other type of needles could be employed, and needle movementscould be actuated in any desired manner.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosurerelates to only a preferred embodiment of the invention and that it isintended to cover all changes and modifications of the example of theinvention herein chosen for the purpose of the disclosure which do notconstitute departures from the-spirit and the scope of the invention setforth in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to be protected by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1.. in a knitting'machine having a needle cylinder, a

plurality of elongated needles positioned in the needle cylinder andeachhaving ahook portion and a shank portion; at least one of said needlesbeing adapted to have the hook portion thereof move radially-to aposition radially disposed from the remaining needles when said oneneedle is moved to a yarn-receivingposition, the hook portions of saidremaining needles moving substantially in the paths of the respectiveshank portions during longitudinal movement of said shank portions; anda yarn carrier mounted on the machine for oscillating movementalong acircular-path concentric with the needle cylinder; said carrierbeingassociated with said one needle-so as to be oscillated pastsaid oneneedle.

2. In a knitting machine having a needle cylinder; a plurality ofneedles positioned on the cylinder and having hook and shank portions;atleast one. of said needles being bent in such'a manner that when thehook portion thereof is moved longitudinally out of the needle cylindersaid hook portion moves radially to a position radially disposed fromthe cylinder defined by the remaining needles; said remaining needlesbeing substan-' tially straight; a yarn carrier mounted on the machinefor movement along a circular path concentric with the needle. cylinder,and a linkage mechanism connected to the yarn carrier for oscillatingsaid yarn carrier back and forth past said .one needle; said yarncarrier being positioned to move between said one needle and thecylinder defined by said remaining needles.

3. In a knitting. machine, in combination, a plurality of elongatedneedles each having a shank portion and a hook portion; a needlecylinder formed with a plurality of axially extending groovesreceivingsaid needles for guiding longitudinal movement of therespective shank portions of said needles. in substantially parallelpaths; guide means integral with the needle cylinder for guiding thehook portion of a selected one of said needles during said longitudinalmovement of the shank portion thereof in a path extending radially,relative to said. needle cylinder, the hook portions of the remainderof-said plurality of needles moving substantially in the paths of therespective shank portions during the longitudinal movement of said shankportions and a'yarn carrier mounted on the machine for oscillatingmovement along a circular path concentric with the needle cylinder, saidpath extending between said one needle and the remaining needles.

4. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a needle cylinderformed with a plurality of circumferentially spaced axial grooves, saidgrooves jointly defining a needle raceway; a plurality of knittingneedles, each needle having a shank portion and a hook portion, saidshank portion being guided in a respective oneof said grooves, each saidneedle being axially movableinthe respective groove between a projectingposition in which the hook portion thereof axially projects from'saidgroove and. a retracted position in which said'hook portion is withdrawnfrom said projecting position toward the respective groove, one of saidneedles being bent, said" hook portion of said one needle radiallyextending from said needle raceway when'said one needle is insaidprojecting position thereof,

the other ones of said needles being substantially straight and the hookportions thereof extending substantially in alignment with said racewaywhen said other needles are in the respective projecting positionsthereof, and a yarn carrier mounted on the machine for oscillatorymovement along an arcuate path concentric with the needle cylinder, saidcarrier being adapted to apply a yarn to said one needle.

5. In a knitting machine as set forth in claim 4, said one needle beingof resilient material.

6. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a needle cylinderformed with a plurality of circumferentially spaced axially extendinggrooves, said grooves jointly defining a needle raceway; a plurality ofknitting needles, each needle having a shank portion and a hook portion,said shank portion being guided in a respective one of said grooves;actuating means for actuating axial movement of said needles in thegrooves between respective projecting positions in which the respectivehook portions thereof axially project from the respective grooves andrespective retracted positions in which said hook portions are withdrawnfrom said projecting position toward the respective groove, one of saidneedles being bent in such a manner that the hook portion of said oneneedle radially extends from said needle raceway when said one needle isin the projecting position thereof, the other ones of said needles beingsubstantially straight, the hook portions of said other needlesextending substantially in alignment with said raceway when said otherneedles are in the respective projecting positions thereof, and a yarncarrier mounted on the machine for oscillatory movement along an arcuatepath concentric With the needle cylinder, said path extending betweensaid one needle and said other needles.

7. In a knitting machine, in combination, a plurality of elongatedneedles each having a shank portion and a hook portion; a needlecylinder formed with a plurality of axially extending grooves receivingsaid needles for guiding longitudinal movement of the respective shankportions of said needles in substantially parallel paths; guide meansintegral with the needle cylinder for guiding the hook portion of aselected one of said needles during said longitudinal movement of theshank portion thereof in a rotating path extending radially relative tosaid needle cylinder; a yarn carrier for feeding yarn to the hookportion of said one needle; said yarn carrier being mounted on themachine for oscillatory movement along an arcuate path concentric withthe needle cylinder; and actuating means for actuating joint radialmovement of the hook portion of said one needle and substantiallytangential reciprocating movement of said yarn carrier relative to saidone needle.

8. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a frame; a needlecylinder rotatable relative to said frame about an axis and formed wihta plurality of axially extending grooves; a plurality of elongatedneedles each having a hook portion and a shank portion received in arespective one of said grooves for axial movement of said shank portionsin substantially parallel paths; guide means integral with the needlecylinder for guiding the hook portion of a selected one of said needlesduring said longitudinal movement thereof in a radially extending path;a yarn carrier for feeding yarn to the hook portion of said one needle;said yarn carrier being mounted for movement along a circular pathconcentric with the needle cylinder; actuating means for actuatingsynchronized longitudinal movement of the shank portion of said oneneedle, radial movement of the hook portion thereof, and reciprocatingmovement of said yarn carrier relative to said cylinder toward and awayfrom a position of circumferential alignment with said one needle whensaid cylinder rotates relative to said frame.

9. In a knitting machine having a rotating needle cylinder, a fixedshaft mounted on the machine concentric with the needle cylinder,support means, a yarn guide secured to the support means, said supportmeans being mounted on the shaft for rotative movement relative theretoin such a manner that said guide moves along a circular path concentricwith the needle cylinder, and a drive and linkage mechanisminterconnecting the shaft and the yarn guide, said drive and linkagemechanism being such that rotation of said yarn guide about said shafteffects an oscillation of said guide, said oscillation beingsuperimposed on said rotation.

10. In a knitting machine having a rotating needle cylinder, a fixedshaft mounted on the machine concentric with the needle cylinder, adrive gear secured to the shaft, support means, a yarn guide attached tothe support means, said support means being mounted on the shaft forrotative movement thereabout in such a manner that said guide movesalong a circular path concentric with the needle cylinder, and a linkagemechanism interconnected between the drive gear and the yarn guide foroscillating said yarn guide as said yarn guide is rotated about theshaft.

11. In a knitting machine a needle cylinder having therein a pluralityof longitudinal slots, a plurality of needles mounted in said slots forlongitudinal movement from retracted positions to extended positions,one of said needles being adapted to flex radially out of alignment withits respective slot when said one needle is moved to said extendedposition, a stationary shaft positioned on the axis of the needlecylinder, a drive gear secured to the shaft, a yarn carrier mounted forrotation about the shaft so that said carrier moves on a circular pathconcentric with the needle cylinder, and a linkage mechanisminterconnecting the drive gear and the yarn carrier for oscillating saidcarrier as said yarn carrier is rotated.

12. In a knitting machine having a needle cylinder having therein aplurality of longitudinal slots, a plurality of needles mounted in saidslots for longitudinal movement from retracted positions to extendedpositions, one of said needles being adapted to flex radially out ofalignment with its respective slot when said one needle is moved to saidextended position, a stationary shaft positioned on the axis of theneedle cylinder, a drive gear secured to the shaft, support meansmounted on the shaft for rotation thereabout, a yarn carrier mounted onthe support means, said carrier extending to a position between theflexed one needle and the cylinder defined by the remaining needles, anda pinion and linkage mechanism interconnecting the stationary gear andthe yarn carrier for superimposing an oscillating movem e nt upon therotative movement of said yarn carrier.

13. In a machine having a rotating needle cylinder, a stationary shaftpositioned on the axis of the needle cylinder, a gear secured to theshaft, a wheel rotatably mounted on the shaft, a yarn carrier attachedto the wheel for feeding a yarn to needles in said needle cylinder, arotating member mounted on the shaft axially adjacent to the gear, apinion mounted on the rotating member and meshed with the gear, and alink interconnecting the wheel and a point on the pinion, said pointbeing eccentric so that the wheel is oscillated to oscillate the yarncarrier as the pinion is rotated.

14. In a knitting machine having a rotating needle cylinder, astationary shaft positioned on the axis of the needle cylinder, aplurality of needles mounted on the needle cylinder, a gear secured tothe shaft, a rotating cross member mounted on the shaft below the gear,a wheel rotatably mounted on the shaft above the gear, a yarn carrierattached to the wheel and positioned inside the cylinder defined by theneedles, a pinion rotatably mounted on the cross member and meshed withthe gear, a pin eccentrically attached to the pinion, a rod attached tothe wheel, and a link interconnecting the pin and the rod so thatrotation of the pinion oscillates the wheel to thereby oscillate theyarn carrier, said rod being ad- 1 i justable in position on the wheelto adjust the amplitude of oscillation of said wheel and yarn carrier.

15. In a knitting machine, a rotating needle cylinder having a pluralityof spaced longitudinal slots, a plurality of needles positioned in theslots and movable from retracted positions toextended positions, saidneedles having hook portionswhich are extended longitudinally from theslots when said needles are in said extended positions, at least one ofsaid needles being adapted to move radially inward to space the hookportion thereof from the cylinder defined by the slots when said oneneedle is in its extended position, a stationary shaft positioned on theaxis of the needle cylinder, a gear secured to the shaft, a rotatingcross member mounted on the shaft below the gear, a wheel rotatablymounted on the shaft above the gear and having therein a radial slot, ayarn carrier attached to the wheel and positioned for movement along acircular path between. the radially displaced one needle and thecylinderdefined by the remaining needles, a pinion rotatably mounted on thecross member and meshed with the gear, a pin eccentrically attached tothe pinion, a rod extending through the slot in the wheel and attachedthereto, and a link interconnecting the pin and the rod for oscillatingthe wheel and the yarn carrier as the pinion is rotated, said rod beingadjustably positioned in the slotin the wheel for v adjusting theamplitude of oscillation of the wheel and the yarn carrier, said yarncarrier being positioned to oscillate past said one needle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,697,488 1/29Ames 66-36 1,841,249 l/32 Larkin 6 6--25 1,902,870 3/ 3 3 Levin 66-251,911,698 5/33 7 Levin 6625 2,070,170 2/ 3 7 Lombardi 663 6 2,194,4853/40 Steinmueller 66--36 2,373,126 4/45 Lombardi -3 66135 FOREIGNPATENTS 11,934 1906 Great Britain. 352,543 4/30 Great Britain. 354,8058/31 Great Britain. 7

44,87 4 10/ 88 Germany.

RUSSELL C. MADER, Primary Examiner. LEYLAND M. MARTIN, Examiner. I

1. IN A KNITTING MACHINE HAVING A NEEDLE CYLINDER, A PLURALITY OFELONGATED NEEDLES POSITIONED IN THE NEEDLE CYLINDER AND EACH HAVING AHOOK PORTION AND A SHANK PORTION; AT LEAST ONE OF SAID NEEDLES BEINGADAPTED TO HAVE THE HOOK PORTION THEREOF MOVE RADIALLY TO A POSITIONRADIALLY DISPOSED FROM THE REMAINDING NEEDLES WHEN SAID ONE NEEDLE ISMOVED TO A YARN-RECEIVING POSITION, THE HOOK PORTIONS OF SAID REMAININGNEEDLES MOVING SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE PATHS OF THE RESPECTIVE SHANKPORTIONS DURING LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT OF SAID SHANK PORTIONS; AND A YARNCARRIER MOUNTED ON THE MACHINE FOR OSCILLATING MOVEMENT ALONG A CIRCULARPATH CONCENTRIC WITH THE NEEDLE CYLINDER; SAID CARRIER BEING ASSOCIATEDWITH SAID ONE NEEDLE SO AS TO BE OSCILLATED PAST SAID ONE NEEDLE.